Cellulose based nanocomposite hydrogel films consisting of sodium carboxymethylcellulose–grapefruit seed extract nanoparticles for potential wound healing applications

Pequi Pulp (Caryocar brasiliense) Oil-Loaded Emulsions as Cosmetic Products for Topical Use

The pequi (Caryocar brasiliense) is a typical fruit from the Brazilian Cerrado. From it, pequi pulp oil is extracted, a valuable product for cosmetic applications due to its high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and carotenoids. Carotenoids are antioxidant compounds that are easily oxidized. To improve pulp stability, emulsification techniques with carboxymethylcellulose at 1% (w/w) were used to encapsulate the pequi pulp oil at 1, 3, 5% (w/w), and 8% (w/w) of polysorbate 80® using a high-rotation mechanical stirrer. The pequi pulp oil was first characterized by FTIR and GC-MS. The results indicated the presence of chemical groups characteristic of the oil itself and the presence of a large proportion of fatty acids, which are essential for the maintenance of cutaneous hydration and the barrier, also acting in the tissue repair process. All emulsions presented stable over 120 days with slightly acidic pH values and were compatible with human skin. The droplet diameter was less than 330 nm, and the polydispersity index was around 0.3, indicating systems with low polydispersity. The Zeta potential (ζ) exhibited negative values sufficient to stabilize the emulsified systems. All emulsions behaved as non-Newtonian fluids, presenting pseudo-plastic and thixotropic properties that are considered important for topical applications.

Double-alternating injectable multifunctional hydrogel based on chitosan for skin wound repair

Injectable hydrogels can be suitable for any irregular wounds to play an important role in wound healing, which have attracted much attention from researchers. Here, a chitosan-based double alternating injectable hydrogel had been proposed, which aligned with characteristics of wound healing. First of all, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) and oxidized gellant (OGG) were used to fabricate above double-alternating injectable hydrogel skeleton (COG) through Schiff base bond. Then, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate (DPG) and bioactive glass (BG) were loaded respectively into COG, forming COG2-D10 and COG2-B0.5 hydrogel. Various properties of above hydrogels such as rheological behaviors, injectable capability, cytocompatibility, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity were systematically investigated. The results indicated that above hydrogel not only had a stable network structure, good toughness, injectability, and excellent adhesive properties, but also exhibited efficient antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, and biocompatible properties. The investigation of in vivo full-thickness skin wound healing showed that compared with COG2-D10 or COG2-B0.5 hydrogel alone, the double-alternating COG2-D10/COG2-B0.5 hydrogel could better enhance the efficacy of drugs, promote cell migration and proliferation, accelerate collagen fiber deposition and neovascularization, and significantly improve wound healing (p < 0.01). Therefore, the double-alternating therapy strategy of hydrogel will provide a new approach for the clinical treatment of skin wound healing.

Preparation of dandelion flower extract-based polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan-dandelion-CuNPs composite gel for efficient bacteriostatic and dye adsorption

A multifunctional composite gel with efficient bacteriostatic and dye adsorption properties was prepared using polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, and soybean isolate protein as carriers, CuNPs prepared by green reduction of dandelion extract as bacteriostatic agent, and glutaraldehyde as cross-linking agent. The composite gel showed good inhibition capacity of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with the diameter of inhibition zone of 27.0-28.3 mm by agar diffusion method. The composite gel antibacterial rate remained above 90 % after 14 days of preparation. After 6 times reuse of composite gel in water, the antibacterial rate remained above 90 %, proving its good stability and reusability. Adding dandelion extract and CuNPs greatly improved the gel antioxidant property, acquiring free radical scavenging rate at 95.6 %. This composite gel had good biocompatibility and adsorption performance, and the maximum adsorption amount of methylene blue and methyl orange was 40.36 mg/g and 41.81 mg/g, respectively. To sum up, the green composition of composite gel has good antimicrobial performance and high dye adsorption, which holds significant promising for treating the water body pollution and protecting the environment. To build cost-effective antibacterial and dye adsorption process on a large-scale, in-depth exploration about this topic is still needed to develop.

Sustainable production of cellulosic biopolymers for enhanced smart food packaging: An up-to-date review

Biodegradable and sustainable food packaging (FP) materials have gained immense global importance to reduce plastic pollution and environmental impact. Therefore, this review focused on the recent advances in biopolymers based on cellulose derivatives for FP applications. Cellulose, an abundant and renewable biopolymer, and its various derivatives, namely cellulose acetate, cellulose sulphate, nanocellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and methylcellulose, are explored as promising substitutes for conventional plastic in FP. These reviews focused on the production, modification processes, and properties of cellulose derivatives and highlighted their potential for their application in FP. Finally, we reviewed the effects of incorporating cellulose derivatives into film in various aspects of packaging properties, including barrier, mechanical, thermal, preservation aspects, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. Overall, the findings suggest that cellulose derivatives have the potential to replace conventional plastics in food packaging applications. This can contribute to reducing plastic pollution and lessening the environmental impact of food packaging materials. The review likely provides insights into the current state of research and development in this field and underscores the significance of sustainable food packaging solutions.

Emerging trends and challenges in polysaccharide derived materials for wound care applications: A review

Polysaccharides are favourable and promising biopolymers for wound care applications due to their abundant natural availability, low cost and excellent biocompatibility. They possess different functional groups, such as carboxylic, hydroxyl and amino, and can easily be modified to obtain the desirable properties and various forms. This review systematically analyses the recent progress in polysaccharides derived materials for wound care applications, emphasizing the most commonly used cellulose, chitosan, alginate, starch, dextran and hyaluronic acid derived materials. The distinctive attributes of each polysaccharide derived wound care material are discussed in detail, along with their different forms, i.e., films, membranes, sponges, nanoemulsions, nanofibers, scaffolds, nanocomposites and hydrogels. The processing methods to develop polysaccharides derived wound care materials are also summarized. In the end, challenges related to polysaccharides derived materials in wound care management are listed, and suggestions are given to expand their utilization in the future to compete with conventional wound healing materials.

Current trend on preparation, characterization and biomedical applications of natural polysaccharide-based nanomaterial reinforcement hydrogels: A review

The tunable properties of hydrogels have led to their widespread use in various biomedical applications such as wound treatment, drug delivery, contact lenses, tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting. Among these applications, natural polysaccharide-based hydrogels, which are fabricated from materials like agarose, alginate, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, cellulose, pectin and chondroitin sulfate, stand out as preferred choices due to their biocompatibility and advantageous fabrication characteristics. Despite the inherent biocompatibility, polysaccharide-based hydrogels on their own tend to be weak in physiochemical and mechanical properties. Therefore, further reinforcement in the hydrogel is necessary to enhance its suitability for specific applications, ensuring optimal performance in diverse settings. Integrating nanomaterials into hydrogels has proven effective in improving the overall network and performance of the hydrogel. This approach also addresses the limitations associated with pure hydrogels. Next, an overview of recent trends in the fabrication and applications of hydrogels was presented. The characterization of hydrogels was further discussed, focusing specifically on the reinforcement achieved with various hydrogel materials used so far. Finally, a few challenges associated with hydrogels by using polysaccharide-based nanomaterial were also presented.

Assessment of the ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus to create biofilms during wound healing in a rat model treated with carboxymethyl cellulose/carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel containing EDTA

The primary objective of this study was to develop a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) hydrogel containing ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) as the materials for wound healing. CMC and CMCS solutions were prepared with a concentration of 4% (w/v). These solutions were made using normal saline serum with a concentration of 0.5% (v/v). Additionally, EDTA with the concentrations of 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% (w/v) was included in the prepared polymer solution. The analysis of the hydrogels revealed that they possess porous structures with interconnected pores, with average in size 88.71 ± 5.93 μm. The hydrogels exhibited a swelling capacity of up to 60% of their initial weight within 24 h, as indicated by the weight loss and swelling measurements. The antibacterial experiments showed that the formulated CMC/CMCS/EDTA 0.5% hydrogel inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Moreover, the produced hydrogels were haemocompatible and biocompatible. At the last stage, the evaluation of wound healing in the animal model demonstrated that the use of the produced hydrogels significantly improved the process of wound healing. Finally, the findings substantiated the effectiveness of the formulated hydrogels as the materials for promoting wound healing and antibacterial agents.

Progress on green crosslinking of polysaccharide hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications

Natural polysaccharides are being studied for their biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, and low cost in the fabrication of various hydrogel devices. However, due to their insufficient physicochemical and mechanical qualities, polysaccharide hydrogels alone are not acceptable for biological applications. Various synthetic crosslinkers have been tested to overcome the drawbacks of standalone polysaccharide hydrogels; however, the presence of toxic residual crosslinkers, the generation of toxic by-products following biodegradation, and the requirement of toxic organic solvents for processing pose challenges in achieving the desired non-toxic biomaterials. Natural crosslinkers such as citric acid, tannic acid, vanillin, gallic acid, ferulic acid, proanthocyanidins, phytic acid, squaric acid, and epigallocatechin have been used to generate polysaccharide-based hydrogels in recent years. Various polysaccharides, including cellulose, alginate, pectin, hyaluronic acid, and chitosan, have been hydrogelized and investigated for their potential in drug delivery and tissue engineering applications using natural crosslinkers. We attempted to provide an overview of the synthesis of polysaccharide-based hydrogel systems (films, complex nanoparticles, microspheres, and porous scaffolds) based on green crosslinkers, as well as a description of the mechanism of crosslinking and properties with a special emphasis on drug delivery, and tissue engineering applications.

A ternary composite hydrogel based on sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose and copper-doped 58S bioactive glass promotes cutaneous wound healing in vitro and in vivo

Hydrogels offer a novel approach to wound repair. In this study, we synthesized a ternary composite using sodium alginate (SA), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and copper-doped 58S bioactive glass (BG). According to our mechanical testing results, the composite made of 7 wt% CMC and 7 wt% BG (SA-7CMC-7BG) showed optimal properties. In addition, our in vitro studies revealed the biocompatibility and bioactivity of SA-7CMC-7BG, with a negative zeta potential of -31.7 mV. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed 273-μm-diameter pores, cell adhesion, and anchoring. The SA-7CMC-7BG closed 90.4 % of the mechanical scratch after 2 days. An in vivo wound model using Wistar rats showed that SA-7CMC-7BG promoted wound healing, with 85.57 % of the wounds healed after 14 days. Treatment with the SA-7CMC-7BG hydrogel caused a 1.6-, 65-, and 1.87-fold increase in transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), Col I, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, respectively that prevents fibrosis and promotes angiogenesis. Furthermore, interleukin 1β (IL-1β) expression was downregulated by 1.61-fold, indicating an anti-inflammatory effect of SA-7CMC-7BG. We also observed an increase in epidermal thickness, the number of fibroblast cells, and collagen deposition, which represent complementary pathology results confirming the effectiveness of the SA-7CMC-7BG hydrogel in cutaneous wound healing.

In vitro-in vivo wound healing efficacy of Tridax Procumbens extract loaded Carboxymethylcellulose film

In this work, Tridax Procumbens Extracts (TPE) were blended with Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and film was developed through the casting method. The phytochemical screening of the TPE/CMC film was carried out and found the presence of carbohydrates, tannins, saponins, and cardiac glycosides. The presence of elements such as C, O, Na, P, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, and Nb in TP/CMC film was confirmed through EDX. The melting point of the film was found around 291 ± 0.5 °C which was determined through the DSC curve. The maximum tensile strength of the TPE/CMC was found as 14 ± 0.5 MPa. The film showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Vibrio cholera compared to the control. Cell viability study exhibited 95 % and 98 % cell proliferation for the test film after interacting with the L929 cell line for 18 h and 24 h. The optical contact angle of the TPE/CMC film was also determined. The in-vivo, wound healing studies on adult mice showed healing within 10 days only and the histopathological results revealed the maximum number of fibroblasts with a high density of collagen fibers in the test group indicating that the prepared film can be an effective wound dressing material.

Multifunctional Chitosan Scaffold Platforms Loaded with Natural Polyphenolic Extracts for Wound Dressing Applications

Chitosan (CS)-based scaffolds loaded with Pinus radiata extract bark (PE) and grape seed extract (GSE) were successfully developed for wound dressing applications. The effects of incorporating GSE and PE in CS scaffolds were investigated in relation to their physicochemical and biological properties. All scaffolds exhibited porous structures with the ability to absorb more than 70 times their weight when contacted with blood and phosphate buffer solution. The incorporation of GSE and PE into the CS scaffolds increased their blood absorption ability and degradation rates over time. All scaffolds showed a clotting ability above 95%, with their surfaces being favorable for red blood cell attachment. Both GSE and PE were released from the CS scaffolds in a sustained manner. Scaffolds loaded with GSE and PE inhibited the bacterial activity of S. aureus and E. coli by 40% and 44% after 24 h testing. In vitro cell viability studies demonstrated that all scaffolds were nontoxic to HaCaT cells. Importantly, the addition of GSE and PE further increased cell viability compared to that of the CS scaffold. This study provides a new synthesis method to immobilize GSE and PE on CS scaffolds, enabling the formation of novel material platforms with a high potential for wound dressing applications.

Three-Dimensional Printed Cellulose for Wound Dressing Applications

Wounds are skin tissue damage due to trauma. Many factors inhibit the wound healing phase (hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and alteration), such as oxygenation, contamination/infection, age, effects of injury, sex hormones, stress, diabetes, obesity, drugs, alcoholism, smoking, nutrition, hemostasis, debridement, and closing time. Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer in nature which is promising as the main matrix of wound dressings because of its good structure and mechanical stability, moisturizes the area around the wound, absorbs excess exudate, can form elastic gels with the characteristics of bio-responsiveness, biocompatibility, low toxicity, biodegradability, and structural similarity with the extracellular matrix (ECM). The addition of active ingredients as a model drug helps accelerate wound healing through antimicrobial and antioxidant mechanisms. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology can print cellulose as a bioink to produce wound dressings with complex structures mimicking ECM. The 3D printed cellulose-based wound dressings are a promising application in modern wound care. This article reviews the use of 3D printed cellulose as an ideal wound dressing and their properties, including mechanical properties, permeability aspect, absorption ability, ability to retain and provide moisture, biodegradation, antimicrobial property, and biocompatibility. The applications of 3D printed cellulose in the management of chronic wounds, burns, and painful wounds are also discussed.

Employing of Curcumin-Silver Nanoparticle-Incorporated Sodium Alginate-Co-Acacia Gum Film Hydrogels for Wound Dressing

Skin wound healing is time-consuming and frequently accompanied by bacterial infections and the development of scars. The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has sparked a growing interest in naturally occurring bioactive substances, like curcumin, that possess wound-healing capabilities. Silver is a natural antimicrobial agent, and finds extensive use in specialized wound dressings. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using an eco-friendly approach, employing curcumin. The prepared nanoparticles have been characterized using TEM, DLS, and zeta potential. The prepared AgNPs were loaded on sodium alginate-co-gum arabic hydrogel. Two hydrogel samples (with and without AgNPs) have been applied for wound healing. The developed silver nanoparticles that were created exhibited effective action against both types of bacteria, namely Gram-negative and Gram-positive. Alg-co-AG-AgNPs demonstrated faster wound healing rates compared to using the control hydrogel sample. The novel dressings of curcumin-silver nanoparticle-incorporated sodium alginate-co-gum arabic hydrogels (Alg-co-AG-AgNPs) exhibited exceptional biocompatibility and have the potential to serve as a wound dressing that possesses antibacterial properties and reduces scarring.

Processing and characterization of egg shell derived nano-hydroxyapatite synthetic bone for Orthopaedic and Arthroscopy implants and substitutes in dentistry

The present work is focused on the nano-Hydroxyapatite (nHAp) synthesis with two different Indian breed Aseel and Kadaknath eggshells. The alloplast implants were developed through the foam replica method with polyurethane 45-PPI as a porous template. The synthesized nHAp was characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The FE-SEM images of the nHAp showed the one dimensional clustered nanoparticles and the X-ray diffraction spectrum confirms that the major phase was hydroxyapatite with a small trace of β-tricalcium phosphate. The maximum compression strength of the sample was 5.49 ± 0.12 MPa which is in the range of the compression strength of human trabecular bone. The thermal and degradability studies results confirmed that these are highly stable and provides necessary a resorption needed for new bone tissue formation. Besides, the antimicrobial activity against tested human microbiome are satisfactory and the cell viability towards MG 63 human osteoblast-like cells provides a potential pathway for developing the nHAp implants for bone tissue engineering.

Sustainable biorefining and bioprocessing of green seaweed (Ulva spp.) for the production of edible (ulvan) and non-edible (polyhydroxyalkanoate) biopolymeric films

A sustainable biorefining and bioprocessing strategy was developed to produce edible-ulvan films and non-edible polyhydroxybutyrate films. The preparation of edible-ulvan films by crosslinking and plasticisation of ulvan with citric acid and xylitol was investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The edible ulvan film was tested for its gut-friendliness using Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. (yoghurt) and was shown to improve these gut-friendly microbiome's growth and simultaneously retarding the activity of pathogens like Escherchia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Green macroalgal biomass refused after the extraction of ulvan was biologically processed by dark fermentation to produce a maximum of 3.48 (± 0.14) g/L of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Aerobic processing of these VFAs using Cupriavidus necator cells produced 1.59 (± 0.12) g/L of biomass with 18.2 wt% polyhydroxybutyrate. The present study demonstrated the possibility of producing edible and non-edible packaging films using green macroalgal biomass as the sustainable feedstock.

State-of-the-Art Insights and Potential Applications of Cellulose-Based Hydrogels in Food Packaging: Advances towards Sustainable Trends

Leveraging sustainable packaging resources in the circular economy framework has gained significant attention in recent years as a means of minimizing waste and mitigating the negative environmental impact of packaging materials. In line with this progression, bio-based hydrogels are being explored for their potential application in a variety of fields including food packaging. Hydrogels are three-dimensional, hydrophilic networks composed of a variety of polymeric materials linked by chemical (covalent bonds) or physical (non-covalent interactions) cross-linking. The unique hydrophilic nature of hydrogels provides a promising solution for food packaging systems, specifically in regulating moisture levels and serving as carriers for bioactive substances, which can greatly affect the shelf life of food products. In essence, the synthesis of cellulose-based hydrogels (CBHs) from cellulose and its derivatives has resulted in hydrogels with several appealing features such as flexibility, water absorption, swelling capacity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, stimuli sensitivity, and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the most recent trends and applications of CBHs in the food packaging sector including CBH sources, processing methods, and crosslinking methods for developing hydrogels through physical, chemical, and polymerization. Finally, the recent advancements in CBHs, which are being utilized as hydrogel films, coatings, and indicators for food packaging applications, are discussed in detail. These developments have great potential in creating sustainable packaging systems.

Antimicrobial Natural Hydrogels in Biomedicine: Properties, Applications, and Challenges-A Concise Review

Natural hydrogels are widely used as biomedical materials in many areas, including drug delivery, tissue scaffolds, and particularly wound dressings, where they can act as an antimicrobial factor lowering the risk of microbial infections, which are serious health problems, especially with respect to wound healing. In this review article, a number of promising strategies in the development of hydrogels with biocidal properties, particularly those originating from natural polymers, are briefly summarized and concisely discussed. Common strategies to design and fabricate hydrogels with intrinsic or stimuli-triggered antibacterial activity are exemplified, and the mechanisms lying behind these properties are also discussed. Finally, practical antibacterial applications are also considered while discussing the current challenges and perspectives.

Hydrogels based on gelatin, xanthan gum, and cellulose obtained by reactive extrusion and thermopressing processes

Polysaccharides and proteins are compatible macromolecules that can be used to obtain biopolymeric hydrogels through physical interactions. In this study, an environmentally friendly strategy is being proposed to produce gelatin-xanthan gum- cellulose hydrogels, without the addition of chemical synthetic crosslinkers. Xanthan gum was employed as an alternative crosslinking agent, and cellulose was used as a potential reinforcing agent in the polymeric matrix. Firstly, the biopolymers were mixed by the extrusion process, and glycerol was used as a plasticizer. Then, the polymeric mixture was molded by thermopressing to obtain hydrogels as laminated films. All hydrogels formulations resulted in films with smooth surfaces, without pores or cracks, resulting in amorphous polymeric matrices. The obtained hydrogels had a pH-dependent degree of swelling, the highest swelling values were obtained at pH 4 (5.3-7.9 g/g) after 24 h of immersion. Cellulose acted as a reinforcing agent for hydrogels, increasing thermal stability, tensile strength, and Young's modulus of films when employed at the higher level (7%). The strategy employed in this study to obtain nontoxic hydrogels without synthetic crosslinkers was effective, resulting in materials with promising properties to be used as pharmaceutical forms to deliver active compounds in cosmetic or pharmaceutical products.

Novel Features of Cellulose-Based Films as Sustainable Alternatives for Food Packaging

Packaging plays an important role in food quality and safety, especially regarding waste and spoilage reduction. The main drawback is that the packaging industry is among the ones that is highly dependent on plastic usage. New alternatives to conventional plastic packaging such as biopolymers-based type are mandatory. Examples are cellulose films and its derivatives. These are among the most used options in the food packaging due to their unique characteristics, such as biocompatibility, environmental sustainability, low price, mechanical properties, and biodegradability. Emerging concepts such as active and intelligent packaging provides new solutions for an extending shelf-life, and it fights some limitations of cellulose films and improves the properties of the packaging. This article reviews the available cellulose polymers and derivatives that are used as sustainable alternatives for food packaging regarding their properties, characteristics, and functionalization towards active properties enhancement. In this way, several types of films that are prepared with cellulose and their derivatives, incorporating antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds, are herein described, and discussed.

Halophilic and Halotolerant Actinomycetes of Sambhar Salt Lake, India: Screening and Optimization of Cellulolytic Activity

Actinomycetes are Gram-positive filamentous bacteria well known for the production of bioactive compounds. Recently, many halophilic habitats have been explored for isolation of actinomycetes that exhibit biotechnological potentials. In this investigation, a saline habitat of Rajasthan, Sambhar Salt Lake (SSL) was selected to study the actinomycetes population and Carboxy Methyl Cellulase (CMCase) production by native isolates. A total of sixteen actinomycete isolates, halotolerant and moderately halophilic, were obtained using culture-dependent methods and characterized morphologically and biochemically. They were identified as members of Streptomyces, Nocardiopsis, Pseudonocardia, Saccharospolyspora, and Microbispora. Streptomyces was the most dominating genus, followed by Nocardiopsis. Agar plate assay was used for screening the isolates for CMCase production. Thirteen were found to produce the enzyme, apparent by hydrolysis observed on media plates. The highest relative activity of 22.04 was shown by isolate SSL 14 identified as Nocardiopsis sp. by 16S rDNA sequencing studies and thus selected for further optimization studies. Maximum enzyme (1.08 ± 0.09 U/ml) was produced using medium containing Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (Carbon source) and yeast extract (nitrogen source) at 12% NaCl and pH 9.0, incubated at 30 °C for 96 h. Maximum CMCase production at high salt concentration and pH suggests that Nocardiopsis SSL 14 can be used for industrial processes that operate under excessive saline and alkaline conditions.

Casein micelles embedded composite organohydrogel as potential wound dressing

Excellent mechanical and tissue adhesive properties, long-lasting environmental suitability and reliable biocompatibility are essential factors for the hydrogels to be applied as wound dressing in the clinical fields. Based on the self-assembly micelle structures, a new type of casein micelles (CEs)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) GW (glycerol-water) organohydrogel was designed and synthesized by a simple one-pot method. Through a unique "load sharing" effect, the CEs which own suitable adhesion abilities and drug loading capacities simultaneously were embedded into the PVA networks by rich hydrogen bonds, so that to obtain the composite organ hydrogel with not only excellent adhesive abilities, but also enhanced mechanical properties. Benefited from the unique GW binary solvent system, the organohydrogel showed long-lasting moisture lock-in capacity and extreme temperature tolerance (in the range of --20 °C ~ 60 °C). Particularly, after loading the model antibacterial drugs (allicin) within the CEs, the as-developed CEs/PVA GW gel exhibited a prominent long-lasting (>100 h) antibacterial properties (>90%). Furthermore, the organohydrogel was confirmed with prominent biocompatibility to support fibroblast cell proliferation and migration. This work proposed a new strategy to build CEs-based gel system, which have a great potential application in terms of prevent bacterial infection, accelerate tissue proliferation and wound healing.

Polymeric biomaterials for wound healing applications: a comprehensive review

Chronic wounds have been a global health threat over the past few decades, requiring urgent medical and research attention. The factors delaying the wound-healing process include obesity, stress, microbial infection, aging, edema, inadequate nutrition, poor oxygenation, diabetes, and implant complications. Biomaterials are being developed and fabricated to accelerate the healing of chronic wounds, including hydrogels, nanofibrous, composite, foam, spongy, bilayered, and trilayered scaffolds. Some recent advances in biomaterials development for healing both chronic and acute wounds are extensively compiled here. In addition, various properties of biomaterials for wound-healing applications and how they affect their performance are reviewed. Based on the recent literature, trilayered constructs appear to be a convincing candidate for the healing of chronic wounds and complete skin regeneration because they mimic the full thickness of skin: epidermis, dermis, and the hypodermis. This type of scaffold provides a dense superficial layer, a bioactive middle layer, and a porous lower layer to aid the wound-healing process. The hydrophilicity of scaffolds aids cell attachment, cell proliferation, and protein adhesion. Other scaffold characteristics such as porosity, biodegradability, mechanical properties, and gas permeability help with cell accommodation, proliferation, migration, differentiation, and the release of bioactive factors.

Arabinoxylan-Carboxymethylcellulose Composite Films for Antibiotic Delivery to Infected Wounds

Modern dressings should provide for local delivery of antibiotics and protect the wound from bacterial infection, dehydration and environmental factors to achieve optimal healing. The local delivery of antibiotics can reduce adverse effects and resistance challenges. In this study, we fabricated film dressings composed of arabinoxylan (AX) from Plantago ovata seed husks and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) by a solvent cast method for the delivery of the antibiotic amikacin (AMK). To determine the suitability of the prepared AX-CMC composite films as wound dressings and drug delivery materials, their physical, chemical, mechanical, morphological, thermal, pharmaceutical, antimicrobial, cytocompatible, and drug delivery properties were investigated. The results demonstrated that the dressings were suitable for delivering the drug at the wound site in a sustained manner and keeping the environment moist for rapid healing. The AMK-loaded AX-CMC films exhibited controlled release of AMK, excellent antibacterial activity, and cytocompatibility. Thus, the AX-CMC composite films appear to be promising bioactive dressing materials for the prevention of wound infections.

Wound Dressing: Combination of Acacia Gum/PVP/Cyclic Dextrin in Bioadhesive Patches Loaded with Grape Seed Extract

The success of wound treatment is conditioned by the combination of both suitable active ingredients and formulation. Grape seed extract (GSE), a waste by-product obtained by grape processing, is a natural source rich in many phenolic compounds responsible for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities and for this reason useful to be used in a wound care product. Bioadhesive polymeric patches have been realized by combining acacia gum (AG) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Prototypes were prepared by considering different AG/PVP ratios and the most suitable in terms of mechanical and bioadhesion properties resulted in the 9.5/1.0 ratio. This patch was loaded with GSE combined with cyclic dextrin (CD) to obtain the molecular dispersion of the active ingredient in the dried formulation. The loaded patch resulted mechanically resistant and able to release GSE by a sustained mechanism reaching concentrations able to stimulate keratinocytes’ growth, to exert both antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

Functionalization and Antibacterial Applications of Cellulose-Based Composite Hydrogels

Pathogens, especially drug-resistant pathogens caused by the abuse of antibiotics, have become a major threat to human health and public health safety. The exploitation and application of new antibacterial agents is extremely urgent. As a natural biopolymer, cellulose has recently attracted much attention due to its excellent hydrophilicity, economy, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. In particular, the preparation of cellulose-based hydrogels with excellent structure and properties from cellulose and its derivatives has received increasing attention thanks to the existence of abundant hydrophilic functional groups (such as hydroxyl, carboxy, and aldehyde groups) within cellulose and its derivatives. The cellulose-based hydrogels have broad application prospects in antibacterial-related biomedical fields. The latest advances of preparation and antibacterial application of cellulose-based hydrogels has been reviewed, with a focus on the antibacterial applications of composite hydrogels formed from cellulose and metal nanoparticles; metal oxide nanoparticles; antibiotics; polymers; and plant extracts. In addition, the antibacterial mechanism and antibacterial characteristics of different cellulose-based antibacterial hydrogels were also summarized. Furthermore, the prospects and challenges of cellulose-based antibacterial hydrogels in biomedical applications were also discussed.

An Overview of Cellulose Derivatives-Based Dressings for Wound-Healing Management

Presently, notwithstanding the progress regarding wound-healing management, the treatment of the majority of skin lesions still represents a serious challenge for biomedical and pharmaceutical industries. Thus, the attention of the researchers has turned to the development of novel materials based on cellulose derivatives. Cellulose derivatives are semi-synthetic biopolymers, which exhibit high solubility in water and represent an advantageous alternative to water-insoluble cellulose. These biopolymers possess excellent properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, sustainability, non-toxicity, non-immunogenicity, thermo-gelling behavior, mechanical strength, abundance, low costs, antibacterial effect, and high hydrophilicity. They have an efficient ability to absorb and retain a large quantity of wound exudates in the interstitial sites of their networks and can maintain optimal local moisture. Cellulose derivatives also represent a proper scaffold to incorporate various bioactive agents with beneficial therapeutic effects on skin tissue restoration. Due to these suitable and versatile characteristics, cellulose derivatives are attractive and captivating materials for wound-healing applications. This review presents an extensive overview of recent research regarding promising cellulose derivatives-based materials for the development of multiple biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, such as wound dressings, drug delivery devices, and tissue engineering.

Fungal-derived carboxymethyl chitosan blended with polyvinyl alcohol as membranes for wound dressings

Multifunctional blend membranes composed of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and fungal mushroom-derived carboxymethyl chitosan (F-CMCS) were produced using a simple solution casting technique for wound dressing applications. The structural interactions between PVA and F-CMCS were confirmed by Fourier infrared spectroscopy. The crystallinity of the membranes was examined by X-ray diffraction. Field emission scanning electron microscopy confirmed the homogeneity and coarser texture with a porous-like network in the internal structure of the membranes. The hydrophilicity, swelling, and degradation of the fabricated membranes were examined according to the F-CMCS content. The PVA/F-CMCS membrane displayed potential antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (gram-negative) and Staphylococcus (gram-positive) bacteria. An in vitro cell study of skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes on the PVA/F-CMCS membranes confirmed the biocompatibility. The hemolysis assay demonstrated the hemocompatibility of the developed membranes. The antibacterial, biocompatibility, and good hemolysis in the PVA membrane were influenced by the F-CMCS composition ratio up to 40%. The all-inclusive properties of the PVA/F-CMCS membranes highlight its potential use in wound dressing applications.

Effect of Synergistic Aging on Bauxite Residue Dust Reduction Performance via the Application of Colloids, an Orthogonal Design-Based Study

The application of polymer colloids is a promising approach for bauxite residue dust pollution control. However, due to the existence of synergistic aging, the efficiency of colloid dynamic viscosity to predict the dust control performance of bauxite residue is unclear. Previous studies were also rarely performed under synergistic aging conditions. Thus, this paper investigates the relationship between colloids’ viscosity and dust control performance under synergistic aging modes. Results illustrated that the binary colloid achieved better dust control performance than unitary colloid for their higher viscosity and penetration resistance. For both unitary and binary colloid, higher viscosity results in better crust strength. A logarithmic relationship was found for viscosity and dust erosion resistance under unitary aging. However, Only the dynamic viscosity of colloids in solid-liquid two-phase conditions, rather than dissolved in deionized water, can effectively predict the dust control performance under synergistic aging conditions.

Recent Developments of Carboxymethyl Cellulose

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is one of the most promising cellulose derivatives. Due to its characteristic surface properties, mechanical strength, tunable hydrophilicity, viscous properties, availability and abundance of raw materials, low-cost synthesis process, and likewise many contrasting aspects, it is now widely used in various advanced application fields, for example, food, paper, textile, and pharmaceutical industries, biomedical engineering, wastewater treatment, energy production, and storage energy production, and storage and so on. Many research articles have been reported on CMC, depending on their sources and application fields. Thus, a comprehensive and well-organized review is in great demand that can provide an up-to-date and in-depth review on CMC. Herein, this review aims to provide compact information of the synthesis to the advanced applications of this material in various fields. Finally, this article covers the insights of future CMC research that could guide researchers working in this prominent field.

Hydrogel from all in all lignocellulosic sisal fibers macromolecular components

The heterogeneous structure of lignocellulosic biomass makes it difficult to dissolve its main components (cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin) by solvent action with the aim of further applying the mixture of the biological macromolecules generated in the solvent medium. In the present study, the dissolution efficiency (DE) of lignocellulosic sisal fibers in the lithium chloride/dimethylacetamide solvent system (LiCl/DMAc) was evaluated for further application in the formation of hydrogels. Catalytic amounts of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) were used in some experiments, which increased the DE from 40% to 90%. The regeneration of the solutions, either previously filtered or not, led to hydrogels based on sisal lignocellulosic biomass. In brief, the properties of the hydrogels were influenced by the content of the lignocellulosic components in the hydrogels, present both in the dissolved fraction and in the incorporated undissolved fraction (when nonfiltered solutions were used). Hydrogels presented water absorption up to 7479% and resorption content in the lyophilized hydrogel up to 2133%. Extracts obtained from preselected hydrogels exhibited cell viability up to 127% compared to the control group when in contact with fibroblast cultures, exhibiting their noncytotoxic properties. This attribute increased the range of possible applications of these hydrogels, ranging from agriculture to biocompatible materials.

Collagen-Carboxymethylcellulose Biocomposite Wound-Dressings with Antimicrobial Activity

Microbial infections associated with skin diseases are frequently investigated since they impact on the progress of pathology and healing. The present work proposes the development of freeze-dried, glutaraldehyde cross-linked, and non-cross-linked biocomposite dressings with a porous structure, which may assist the reepithelization process through the presence of collagen and carboxymethylcellulose, along with a therapeutic antimicrobial effect, due to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) addition. Phisyco-chemical characterization revealed the porous morphology of the obtained freeze-dried composites, the presence of high crystalline silver nanoparticles with truncated triangular and polyhedral morphologies, as well as the characteristic absorption bands of collagen, silver, and carboxymethylcellulose. In vitro tests also assessed the stability, functionality, and the degradability rate of the obtained wound-dressings. Antimicrobial assay performed on Gram-negative (Escherichia coli), Gram-positive (Staphyloccocus aureus) bacteria, and yeast (Candida albicans) models demonstrated that composite wound dressings based on collagen, carboxymethylcellulose, and AgNPs are suitable for skin lesions because they prevent the risk of infection and have prospective wound healing capacity. Moreover, the cell toxicity studies proved that the obtained materials can be used in long time treatments, with no cytotoxic effects.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of Carboxymethyl Cellulose from Asparagus Stalk End

Cellulose from Asparagus officinalis stalk end was extracted and synthesized to carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC_as) using monochloroacetic acid (MCA) via carboxymethylation reaction with various sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentrations starting from 20% to 60%. The cellulose and CMC_as were characterized by the physical properties, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In addition, mechanical properties of CMC_as films were also investigated. The optimum condition for producing CMC_as was found to be 30% of NaOH concentration for the carboxymethylation reaction, which provided the highest percent yield of CMC_as at 44.04% with the highest degree of substitution (DS) at 0.98. The melting point of CMC_as decreased with increasing NaOH concentrations. Crystallinity of CMC_as was significantly deformed (p < 0.05) after synthesis at a high concentration. The L* value of the CMC_as was significantly lower at a high NaOH concentration compared to the cellulose. The highest tensile strength (44.59 MPa) was found in CMC_as film synthesized with 40% of NaOH concentration and the highest percent elongation at break (24.99%) was obtained in CMC_as film treated with 30% of NaOH concentration. The applications of asparagus stalk end are as biomaterials in drug delivery system, tissue engineering, coating, and food packaging.

Outgoing and potential trends of composition, health benefits, juice production and waste management of the multi-faceted Grapefruit Citrus Χ paradisi: A comprehensive review for maximizing its value

Grapefruit (GF) Citrus Χ paradisi Macfad (F. Rutaceae) is one of the major citrus fruits that encompass a myriad of bioactive chemicals and most unique among citrus fruits. Nevertheless, no study has yet to assess comprehensively its multitudinous constituents, health benefits, and valuable waste products. Hereto, the present review provides an updated comprehensive review on the different aspects of GF, its juice production, waste valorization, enhancement of its byproducts quality, and compared to other citrus fruits. Grapefruit uniqueness among other citrus fruits stands from its unique taste, flavor, and underlying complex chemical composition. Despite limonene abundance in peel oil and grapefruit juice (GFJ) aroma, nootkatone and sulfur compounds are the key determinants of its flavor, whereas flavanones contribute to its bitter taste and in conjunction with limonoids. Different postharvest treatments and juice processing are reviewed and in context to its influence on final product quality and or biological effects. Flavanones, furanocoumarins, and limonoids appear as the most prominent in GF drug interactions affecting its metabolism and or excretion. Valorization of GF peel is overviewed for its utilization as biosrobent, its oil in aromatherapy, limonene as antimicrobial or in cosmetics, fruit pectin for bioethanol production, or as biosorbent, and peel phenolics biotransformation. The present review capitalizes on all of the aforementioned aspects in GF and further explore novel aspects of its juice quality presenting the full potential of this valued multi-faceted citrus fruit.

Carboxymethyl cellulose-based materials for infection control and wound healing: A review

The development of ideal wound dressing materials with excellent characteristics is currently a major demand in wound therapy. In recent years, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based wound dressing materials have been of immense attraction due to their noble properties, such as: biocompatibility, biodegradability, tissue resembling, low cost and non-toxic. It is used extensively, in a variety of applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. The hydrophilic nature of CMC, makes it possible to blend and cross-link with other materials, such as: synthetic polymers, natural polymers and inorganic materials and it enables the preparation of innovative wound dressing biomaterials. Hence, this review, focuses on the intrinsic characteristics of CMC-based wound dressing materials, including hydrogels, films, 3D printing, fibres, gauzes and their recent advancements in chronic wound healing.